"I don't think Federer, Nadal or Djokovic ever thought they'd lose to me" as Nick Kyrgios admits to unprofessional approach to tennis
ATPThursday, 18 April 2024 at 00:00
Nick
Kyrgios had a conversation with Naomi Osaka and reminisced about his victories
over Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic. The 2022 Wimbledon
finalist spoke with the Japanese player on the podcast “Good Trouble with Nick
Kyrgios” and expressed his belief that his victories probably surprised the
Big-3 more than other defeats.
The Aussie
tennis player holds a 2-1 lifetime record against Novak Djokovic, a 3-6 record
against Rafael Nadal, and a 1-6 record against Roger Federer. He is one of two
players, along with Lleyton Hewitt, to win his first career meeting with Nadal
(2014 Wimbledon), Federer (2015 Madrid), and Djokovic (2017 Acapulco).
Kyrgios reflects on surprising victories over the Big-3
Kyrgios is
not the only player to have defeated members of the Big-3, as several other
active tennis players have also achieved this feat, including Andy Murray, Stan
Wawrinka, Dominic Thiem, Andrey Rublev, Alexander Zverev, Stefanos Tsitsipas,
Grigor Dimitrov, Kei Nishikori, and Marin Cilic. According to Kyrgios, his
victories were probably even more surprising for the Big-3.
"I
don't think Federer, Nadal or Djokovic ever thought they'd lose to me. I think
they look back and they're like, "How the hell did we manage to lose to
him?"," Kyrgios told Osaka.
"So
how was that like and were you able to digest that that happened?" Osaka
asked the Australian.
9-year-old Kyrgios surprised world No. 1 Rafa Nadal by 7-6(5), 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-3 in the fourth round at 2014 Wimbledon.
"I
guess I think about how unprofessional I was at that time. I didn't give my
full self to the game. I wasn't training all the time and it just happened
really early in my career," Kyrgios answered.
The 28-year-old athlete also recalled the surprising victory he had
against Rafael Nadal at the 2014 Wimbledon, which propelled him to the
forefront of the tennis world and gave him great confidence: "Beating
Rafa, I was ranked like 150 in the world and he was World No. 1 I think at
Wimbledon. And then, it gave this belief that you could do it, like, you could
just get there and rattle the scene a little bit and beat the best in the
world," Kyrgios said.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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